Abstract

We conducted the present study to determine how emotion and construal level contribute to obesity bias. Specifically, we examined if different emotions, such as disgust, sadness,
and happiness, played a role in several different judgments of an obese versus thin individual: 1) general impressions, 2) supporting a friend, and 3) endorsing personal versus biological/environmental causes for weight. We also investigated whether a self “me” construal or collective “we” construal influenced these judgments. We additionally
considered whether emotion and these construal levels would interact to influence such judgments. The current work found that emotion and construal level did not interact to
influence judgments about obese or thin individuals, but an overall obesity stigma was demonstrated for general impressions. Emotion influenced whether obese targets were
given friend support, as happy (vs. sad) participants were more likely to support their obese friend. Construal level influenced whether more personal attributions for weight
were given for obese targets, as those with a self construal endorsed personal attributions over biological/environmental ones to a greater extent than those using a collective
construal.